Fire-escape.



V. SNYDER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 26, 19.13.

1,088,470. Petentea Feb. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH co,.\\'AsHlNc'roN, D.c.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V. SNYDER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

LPPLIGATIQN FILED AUG. ze, 191s.

`Patented Feb. 24, 19.14.

coLUMmA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

VIRGINIA. SNYDER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Application filed August 26, 1913. Serial No. 786,733.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, VIRGINIA SNrnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California., have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved tire escape chute which is adapted to be rolled up compactly when not in use and which is also adapted to be readily secured to a window casing and to be unrolled without the window in the event of a lire and to form a chute down which persons may slide and thus escape safely from a burning building, the invention consisting in the construction, combination and arrangementof the devices here and after described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a tire escape chute constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same in operative position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. t is a perspective view of the same showing the fire escape chute compactly rolled for storage as when not in use.

The bottom of my improved fire escape chute comprises a series of transversely arranged slats each of which is preferably made of iron or steel, is dat, and has round ed ends as shown. Each slat is provided with a cover 2 of asbestos or suitable fire resisting material. The slats are notched on opposite sides, at points intermediate their ends, as at 3 and are connected together by chains 4, which pass around them, are crossed between them, and are engaged with the said notches. The front sides of the said slats are covered by a fabric 5 of suitable fire resisting material, such as asbestos. The slats are also provided with fire resisting covers 6, each of which is secured on one of the slats, the

lower portion of the cover 6 of each slat overlapping the upper portion of the cover of the next lower slat. The ends of the slats are secured, as by means of links 8, to side chains 7. The said side chains are longer than the chute and their lower' ends extend below the chute. I also provide a pair of side rails 9 each of which comprises balusters 10 and chains 11. The

balusters are also made of iron or steel and their inner ends are connected to the side chains 7 at points intermediate the slats 1 by links or other suitable devices 1Q. The chains 11 are similarly connected to the outer ends of the balusters and the said rail chain 11 and the major portions of the balusters are protected by a covering 13 of fire resisting fabric, such for instance as asbestos. The rail chains correspond substantially in length .with the side chains 7 and extend below the rails. w

Since the cross slats of the chute are connected together by the flexible chains 4L and 7 and since the baluster rails are also connected to the chains 11 and the side chains 7 it will be understood that the entire fire escape chute is flexible and that the rails may be folded upon the bottom. of the chute and the entire chute may then be rolled up compactly as indica-ted in FiO'. 4l.

At the upper end of the chute are rings 111 which are attached to the upper slat 1 and are engaged by a bar 15, which bar may be secured in suitable sockets or other holding devices 16 on the inner side on a window casing, to securely anchor the upper end of the chute and enable the latter to be thrown out through the window and unrolled and hang down from the said window. The window casing is also provided on its inner side with suitable hooks 17 or other attaching device to which the rails chains 11 may be secured at their upper ends.

It .will be understood that when the chute has been dropped and extended from the window it may be arranged in an inclined position and its lower ends secured to the ground or to a building opposite the burning building by firemen or other persons, the side chains and the rail chains adapting the lower end of the chute to be thus secured, and persons may then escape from the burning building by sliding down on the chute, the side rails thereof keeping them from moving ohf either side of the chute.

A suitable grappling hook or device of that kind may be employed for placing the lower end of the chute if desirable or necessary.

While I have herein shown and described a. preferred form of my invention I would have it understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion and construction of the several parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

I. The herein described exible foldable ire escape chute comprising slats flexibly connected together, side Chains to which the ends of the slats are connected, rail chains, balusters connecting` the side Chains to the rail Chains, and a iieXible fabric forming the bottom of the chute and arranged on the said slats and extending over the spaces between them.

2. A ieXible oldable re escape chute comprising slats, flexibly connected together, covers on the slats arranged in overlapping relation, side Chains connected to the ends of the slats, rail chains, and balusters connecting the rail Chains to the Side chains, the side Chains extending below the bottoni of the Chute and the rail chains extending below the lower ends of the rails.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VIRGINIA SNYDER.

Vfitnesses Mrs. E. J. HARPER, JAMES B. DIEHL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of la'cents Washington, D. C. 

